Kottakkal Madhu

Kottakkal Madhu (born October 26, 1968) is a Sopana music singer and composer from Kottakkal, Kerala, who specializes in the Kathakali related music. He was born to K. Govindan Nair and K. Sathyabhama. He initially learned his music from Parameswara Iyer. Subsequently, in 1980, he joined P.S.V. Natyasangham at Kottakkal, an institute for learning performing arts, to learn Kathakali vocal music. He later became a senior faculty member at the P.S.V. Natyasangham. He has composed music in many kathakali performances in India and toured Switzerland once with the P.S.V. Natyasangham group.

He was a recipient of the T.V. Kochaniyan award, constituted in memory of the former chairman of the Kerala Kalamandalam, to encourage young artists. He is married to Vrinda and has two daughters, Krishnendu and Keerthana.

As a singer, Madhu is known for experimenting with newer nuances in the Raga vistara (elaboration of a Raga) and introducing new Ragas. This has particularly endeared him to the younger audiences of Kathakali.

It can be claimed that Kottakkal Madhu is at present the foremost exponent of Kathakali padam singing based on the fact that he is the chosen singer in all prominent multimedias to have featured Kathakali, like the Indo/French film: Vanaprastham, indiavideo.org series on Kathakali and Sanskrit film Priyamanasam.

References

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